Rogers Media uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. Learn more or change your cookie preferences. Rogers Media supports the Digital Advertising Alliance principles. By continuing to use our service, you agree to our use of cookies.

We use cookies (why?) You can change cookie preferences. Continued site use signifies consent.

Prince Among Men: 15 of the Purple One’s Most Iconic TV Moments

On the one-year anniversary of his death, we’re looking back at the Purple One’s most memorable TV moments, from a New Girl cameo to expertly deployed shade.

Not many pop stars can thrill an audience with a perfectly timed eye-roll, but Prince was no ordinary pop star. Every single time he blessed us with his presence (and his Prince-ness), it was a cause for celebration. On the one-year anniversary of his unexpected death, we look back at his most glorious and unexpected moments, from a sitcom cameo to his iconic resting Prince face.

When he gave the most subtle of side-eyes at the 2011 NAACP Awards

Oh, you’ve won an award! Well step aside, we are here for Prince’s facial expressions, not your acceptance speech. When presenting an NAACP Award to Halle Berry in 2011, he gave some salty side-eye during her speech. Perhaps he took exception to the phrase “thank you for honouring me” at the 2:20 mark?

3. When he unceremoniously booted Kim Kardashian off his stage for her lacklustre dancing

If you are going to be in the presence of a legend, half-hearted clapping just won’t do. At a Madison Square Gardens show he kicked Kim Kardashian—in her full 2011 bandage dress glory—off his stage because she wouldn’t dance on command. Shortly after, she explained that it wasn’t a refusal, she simply froze in his presence (which is actually completely understandable, TBH).

4. When he made a surprise appearance on New Girl

Who knew Prince was a fan of adorkable network comedy? In 2011, he sashayed to the Fox lot for a guest spot on New Girl, playing himself with a fairy godfather twist—he was there to give relationship advice to Jess and Nick. But it wasn’t without a little drama. Remember that Kim K. storyline? Well it turns out the entire krew was persona non grata to the Purple One. When the script called for a “party scene,” he went Method and insisted that no one from that family be a part of it. (His reasoning: he would never invite them to a party.) The problem is, Khloe and mama Kris had already come in to shoot a scene. As Zooey Deschanel later told Conan O’Brien, a P.A. burned all evidence of the crossover.

5. When he stopped by The Muppets Tonight

Prince gave a couple of puppets a lesson in songwriting on The Muppets Tonight in 1997, including an adorable rendition of “Raspberry Sorbet.” This was definitely a more playful side to Prince that fans didn’t often get to see.

6. When he was not here for dumb questions on MuchMoreMusic Live

When one fan asked Prince what he considered “real music,” Prince sighed deeply and said, “Do you have a concert ticket? Come to the concert.” Dumb question, Jason from Toronto.

A post shared by The Archive of Shade (@theartofshade_) on Jul 25, 2016 at 4:51pm PDT

7. When his real life inspired classic comedy moments on The Chapelle Show

Some of the best Prince moments on TV didn’t come from the man himself, but rather his good friend Charlie Murphy who recently passed away. As a writer and performer on The Chappelle Show, Charlie would tell wild stories in his “True Hollywood” segments. As the legend goes, at the height of ’80s, Charlie and his brother Eddie Murphy met Prince at a club and were invited back to his house for a listening party, which turned into a game of basketball. Charlie and Eddie thought Prince and The Revolution would be easily beaten—so much so they coined the game “blouses vs. shirts” to mock Prince’s club attire on the court. Turns out, Prince was a baller and won easily. He was a master host as well: he served his new friends pancakes after the game. In a radio interview, Prince confirmed that it was indeed true and said he absolutely loved the sketch.

Gumbel had the temerity to ask Prince about pleated khakis (how basic), which is like asking Da Vinci about finger-painting. Prince responded with a snort—and didn’t try to hide his horror when faced with Bryant’s black leather loafers.

A post shared by The Archive of Shade (@theartofshade_) on Jun 2, 2016 at 1:20pm PDT

11. When a nervous Chris Rock interviewed the Purple One

In 1997, a visibly rattled Rock interviewed The Artist (just peep Chris’ mortification when he accidentally called him Prince). They touch on the supposed rivalry with Michael Jackson and the rumour that Prince was asked to appear in the “Bad” video. He brushes off the feud, which is less “the high road” and more high-level shade.